Wheelchair attachment for exercise equipment

ABSTRACT

An attachment is provided that may be used to convert exercise equipment typically used in gyms to equipment that may be used by persons in wheelchairs. The attachment generally includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member, each of which are selectively engageable with the existing equipment. The upper frame member provides an adjustable back pad that can be used with an adjustable belt to stabilize the exerciser&#39;s upper body when using the equipment. The lower frame member includes wheel locks to stabilize the wheelchair after it has been rolled into the lower frame member. It may further include fork members to secure handles and cables of the existing machine to make them more accessible for the wheelchair user. A lap belt of the lower frame member may allow a user to stabilize his or her lower body relative to the wheelchair when using the equipment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to fitness equipment, andmore particularly to an attachment that may be used in association withexisting fitness equipment to allow persons in wheelchairs to use theexisting fitness equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fitness equipment is found in gyms, recreational rooms, and the like.Such equipment is well known and often used in the fitness industry.However, such fitness equipment, particularly weight training machines,does not cater to the exercise population that is bound to wheelchairs.Fitness enthusiasts or professionals in wheelchairs are generally unableto use common fitness equipment for several reasons.

For one, equipment is often designed for users that are able to stand.Bars and handles associated with a given piece of equipment are thus outof reach for people in wheelchairs. Additionally, it is a greatchallenge or even impossible for a user to get into the proper exerciseposition when he or she is in a wheelchair due to obstructions by theseat or other hardware that non-wheelchair users use when exercising.For example, cable pulls may be substantially behind a user so that heor she cannot reach the pulls without excessive reaching and straining.These limitations on use are an inconvenience at best, and at worst, cancause injury.

There is some fitness equipment on the market that is designedparticularly for users restricted to wheelchairs. Such fitness equipmentis not often included in fitness facilities because of its relativeseldom use compared to its footprint in a workout facility. A solutionis desired in the market that effectively and conveniently integrateswith existing equipment so that weightlifters in wheelchairs are notlimited to using ill-tailored equipment or forced to go to a gym foronly users bound to wheelchairs.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The current invention provides an attachment that may be used to convertexisting exercise equipment into exercise equipment that may be used bypersons in wheelchairs. The attachment as described herein includes anupper frame member and a lower frame member that each may be releasablyengaged to existing exercise equipment. The upper frame member includesa back pad, and may be used to stabilize an exerciser's upper body,while the lower frame member may include features to stabilize thewheelchair as well as the exerciser's lower body.

The back pad and the upper frame member may be attached to the existingequipment in a rotatable manner such that the back pad may be rotatedupwardly or downwardly to a position desired by a user. The back padalso may be provided with an adjustable securing belt so that a user maysecure himself or herself against the back pad and loosen or tighten thebelt to snugly secure his or her torso to the back pad for subsequentexercise.

The lower frame member is preferably U-shaped so that a front portion ofits base is unobstructed so that a wheelchair may easily roll in and outof the base. At its front, bottom portion, the lower frame member mayinclude wheel locks that may be used to further secure a wheelchairwithin the base and reduce or prevent the wheelchair from moving duringexercise.

Side frames of the lower frame member may extend upwardly from eitherside of the base. Fork members or other retaining structures may belocated at the rear portion of the side frames. The fork members mayreceive and secure cables associated with the existing exerciseequipment that are used to to facilitate exercise. More particularly,the fork members may retain cables associated with an exercise desiredby a user such that handles associated with the cables are pulledoutwardly away from the machine, and nearer to the user. This makes thehandles and cables more accessible to a person in a wheelchair bypreventing the person in the wheelchair from having to reach back to theoriginal retracted location of the cables. This can be difficult to doand also cause injury.

An adjustable securing belt may also be provided on the base that isplaced over the lap of a wearer when he or she is wheeled into theattachment and ready to exercise. The belt should be adjustable so thatwhen it may be tightened or loosened to snugly secure the exerciser inhis or her wheelchair.

When an exerciser in a wheelchair is ready to wheel into the lowerattachment member for exercise, the wheel locks may be rotated upwardlyand outwardly so that a wheelchair may be rolled into the attachment.The belts of the upper and lower attachment members should also each beunbuckled so that an exerciser may subsequently buckle them to securehimself or herself prior to commencing exercise.

Once a person in a wheelchair is in a position to use the equipment heor she should rotate the wheel locks downwardly and inwardly rotated sothat they prevent wheels of the wheelchair from rolling rearwardly. Thebelts of the upper and lower attachment members should also each bebuckled and adjusted appropriately to stabilize the exerciser.

With the handles and cables of the existing equipment already pulledoutwardly, a user may grasp the handles and use the handles to pushoutwardly, upwardly, or otherwise to activate the cables which are influid communication with a weight stack. The action of lifting theweight stack via the cables provides weight resistance to the muscles ina known manner. When a user is finished his or her exercise, he or shemay wheel away from the attachment by simply unbuckling and releasingthe belts and rotating the wheel locks upwardly so that the path forwheeling out of the attachment is substantially clear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an attachment for use with awheelchair and an existing weightlifting machine constructed accordingto the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the attachment and machine of FIG. 1 ina first non-use configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the attachment and machine of FIGS. 1and 2 in a second non-use configuration.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the attachment and machine of FIGS. 1-3in a third configuration in which the attachment and machine are readyfor use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to an attachment that may be used toconvert existing exercise equipment into exercise equipment that may beused by persons in wheelchairs. Turning first to FIG. 1, an attachment 1is illustrated as exploded from exercise equipment 5. While theattachment 1 is illustrated with the exercise equipment 5, as set forthbelow, the attachment 1 may be provided in alternative embodiments to becompatible with other makes or models of exercise equipment.

As illustrated, the attachment 1 includes each of an upper frame member10 and a lower frame member 15 that are each releasably engageable withthe equipment 5. When a person in a wheelchair uses the attachment 1with the equipment 5, the upper frame member 10 generally may act tostabilize the person's upper body, while the lower frame member 15generally may act to stabilize the wheelchair as well as the person'slower body. The lower frame member 15 may further receive and retainhandles used to operate the equipment 5, thus making the equipment 5easier to use for a person in a wheelchair. The specific structure andfunction of each of the upper frame member 10 and the lower frame member15 are set forth in greater detail below.

In the illustrated embodiments, the equipment 5 is the TuffStuff SPT-6X“Six-Pak Trainer.” As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the“Six-Pak Trainer” is a multi-purpose frontal work station that has threecable heights: low cable height 20, medium cable height 25, and highcable height 30 that generally correspond to initial hand positions thata user may have when initiating any particular exercise. The equipment 5and its cable heights 20, 25, 30 may be used for a variety of exercisesincluding, but not limited to, lat pulldowns, chest and shoulderpresses, abdominal crunches, and leg curls.

When the attachment 1 is not used with the equipment 5, and in its“unmodified” form, the equipment 5 preferably includes handles (notillustrated) located where the upper frame member 10 is releasablyengaged with the equipment 5. The handles may be grasped by someoneusing the equipment 5, for example, when performing a leg extensionusing cables 35 attached to his or her leg at the low cable height 20. Aseat (not illustrated) is also provided with the equipment 5 in its“unmodified” configuration where the lower frame member 15 is releasablyengaged with the equipment 5. A user may sit on the seat, for example,when using cables 40 at the high cable height 30 to perform a latpulldown exercise.

The method attaching the attachment 1 to the equipment 5 set forth belowis unique to the particular illustrated equipment 5, though as set forthabove, the attachment 1 may be configured in alternative embodiments tobe compatible with other types of exercise equipment. Turning first tothe upper frame member 10, the upper frame member 10 preferably includesa handle assembly 45 which may include each of lower attachment members50 and upper attachment members 55 at its rear portion. The lowerattachment members 50 and the upper attachment members 55 may align withlower apertures 60 and upper apertures 65, respectively, of the exerciseequipment 5. The attachment members 50, 55 and apertures 60, 65 may bereleasably engageable with one another using a variety of known orforeseeable mechanisms. In a preferred embodiment, however, the upperframe member 10 is releasably engageable with the equipment 5 byattaching the attachment members 50, 55 to the apertures 60, 65 usingnuts and bolts or a friction fit.

Turning now to the lower frame member 15, a rear portion 70 of the lowerattachment member 15 is provided with an attachment member 75 projectingrearwardly from the lower attachment member 15, toward the equipment 5.The rearward extending attachment member 75 is preferably sized andshaped to be releasably engageable with a complementary attachmentmember 80 associated with the equipment 5. When the attachment 1 is notin use, the attachment member 80 of the equipment 5 may be releasablyengaged with the seat of the equipment 5. While the attachment members75, 80 may be releasably engaged with one another in a number of knownor foreseeable ways, in a preferred embodiment, the attachment members75, 80 are releasably engageable via a combined friction fit and nut andbolts attachment method. As set forth herein, the attachment 1 may bereleasably engageable with the equipment 5 when a person in a wheelchairwishes to use the equipment 5 in a number of ways. Similarly, theattachment 1 may be compatible with a wide range of equipment other thanthe equipment 5.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the attachment 1 is illustrated as having beenreleasably engaged with the equipment 5. More particularly, the handleassembly 45 of the upper frame member 10 is engaged with the equipment5, and the attachment members 75, 80 of the lower frame member 15 andthe equipment 5, respectively, are releasably engaged with one another.As shown and illustrated in FIG. 2, a shaft member 85 may extendrearwardly from a back pad 90 of the upper frame member 10 in order toattach the back pad 90 to the handle assembly 45. The back pad 90 may beattached to the handle assembly 45 by way of the shaft 85 in a pivotalmanner such that the back pad 90 may be pivoted upwardly or downwardlyrelative to the handle assembly 45 attached to the equipment 5.

In order to facilitate pivoting of the back pad 90, near the handleassembly 45, the shaft 85 may be provided with a pin member 95. The pinmember 95 preferably includes a spring (not illustrated) that allows thepin member 95 to be pulled outwardly but returned to its compressed formwhen released. The pin member 95 is preferably of a size and shape thatallows it to be releasably secured within apertures 100 located around acircumference of a guide bracket 105 that attaches the handle assembly45 to the shaft 85. While only one aperture 100 is shown and illustratedin FIG. 2, a number of apertures may be provided around thecircumference of the quarter moon shaped guide bracket 105. When a userpulls the pin member 95 outwardly and pivots the back pad 90 upwardly,the pin member 95 may be guided towards those other apertures. When theuser releases the pin member 95, the pin member 95 may “auto-locate”into one of those other apertures, thus securing the back pad 90 in ahigher position than as illustrated in FIG. 2. Such mechanisms thatpivot the back pad 90 relative to the equipment 5 are well known andunderstood in the exercise equipment industry. When a user wishes toreturn the back pad 90 to its lower location, he or she may again simplypull the pin member 95 outwardly and guide the back pad outwardly andguide the back pad 90 downwardly until the pin member 95 is auto-locatedby way of its associated spring into an appropriate aperture.

The ability of the back pad 90 to be raised and lowered serves a usefulpurpose. More particularly, when a user in a wheelchair with a tallertorso is exercising using the attachment 1 and the equipment 5, the backpad 90 may need to be in a higher, taller position to provideappropriate back support. However, when a wheelchair user that has ashorter torso is using the attachment 1 and the equipment 5, the backpad 90 may need to be in a lower, shorter position. The ability to raiseand lower the back pad 90 relative to the equipment 5 allows the user tocustomize the relative position of the attachment 1 to meet his or herparticular preferred dimensions.

Also as shown in FIG. 2, the back pad 90 may be provided with a securingbelt 110. The securing belt 110 is preferably fixedly attached to theback pad 90 at a rear portion 115 thereof. At a front portion 120 of theback pad 90, the belt 110 may wrap around so that a right portion (orstrap) 125 of the belt 110 and a left portion 130 of the belt 110 may bereleasably engaged with one another using a known or foreseeable bucklemechanism. More particularly, the illustrated buckle system may includea female buckle 135 on the right portion 125 of the belt 110 and a malebuckle 140 on the left portion 130 of the belt 110. A pad 145 isattached to the left side 125 of the belt 110 in FIG. 2, though inalternative embodiments, the pad 145 may be located on the left side130, both sides 125, 130 or omitted altogether. Moreover, in a preferredembodiment, the belt 110 is adjustable so that a user may loosen ortighten the belt 110 so as to snugly secure his or her torso to the backpad 90, thus reducing the likelihood of injury when using the equipment5 to exercise.

Turning now to the lower frame member 15, a base 150 thereof ispreferably U-shaped. The base 150 may be substantially U-shaped so thatnear a rear portion 155 of the lower frame member, a rear crossbar 157of the base 150 may prevent a wheelchair that has been rolled into thebase 150 from rolling into the equipment 5. Side crossbars 160 extendingoutwardly from the rear crossbar 157 of the base 150 may further preventa wheelchair from moving side to side when the wheelchair is within thebase 150. A front portion 165 of the base 150 is preferably open andunobstructed so that a wheelchair may easily roll in and out of the base150 and thus the lower frame member 15.

At the front portion 165 of the base 150, the lower frame member 15 isprovided with wheel locks 170 that may be used to further secure awheelchair within the base 150 when it has been rolled into the base 150and a user is preparing to and subsequently is exercising. The lockmembers 170 are discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

Side frames 175 of the lower frame member 15 preferably extend upwardlyfrom the side crossbars 160 of the base 150. At the rear portion 155 ofthe side frames 175, an upper portion 180 of the side frames 175 may beprovided with fork members 185 that extend upwardly therefrom. The forkmembers 185 may receive cables 190 at the cable height 25 or cables 40at the cable height 30, as described below, to facilitate exercise.

At the front portion 165 of the lower frame member 115, and moreparticularly on a right side thereof, the side frame 175 may be providedwith a utility attachment member 195 for storing and/or containingpersonal items, for example those belonging to the person in thewheelchair using the equipment 5. In the illustrated embodiment, theutility attachment member 195 is provided on the right side of the sideframe 175, but in alternative embodiments, it may be provided on eitherof the side frames 175. In the illustrated embodiment, the utilityattachment member 195 includes each of a cup holder 200, phone (or otheraccessory) holder 205 and a rod member 210 on which a towel may beplaced.

At a lower portion 215 of the lower frame member 15, a belt 220 may befixably attached to the base 150. Like the belt 110, the belt 220preferably includes each of a right portion (or strap) 225 and a leftportion 230. The right portion 225 may include a pad 235 and a femalebuckle 240, while the left portion may include a male buckle 245. Theright portion 225 and the left portion 230 may be releasably attached toone another using the female buckle 240 and the male buckle 245 in aknown and understood manner. The belt 230 is preferably placed over thelap of a wearer when he or she is wheeled into the attachment 1 andready to exercise. The belt 230 may be adjustable so that when it istightened or loosened, a user may be more or less snugly secured in hisor her wheelchair.

FIG. 3 illustrates the attachment 1 configured to receive a wheelchairand person in a wheelchair for subsequent exercise. In the positionillustrated in FIG. 3, the wheel locks 170 are rotated upwardly andoutwardly. As such, the front portion 165 of the base 150 issubstantially unobstructed so that a wheelchair (not illustrated) may berolled into the attachment 1. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the wheel locks170 may be constructed as substantially lever-like implements that arehingedly attached to the front of the side crossbars 160. As a result ofthe hinged attachment of the locks 170 to the side crossbars 160, thewheel locks 170 may be rotated downwardly and inwardly as shown in FIGS.1 and 2, or upward and outwardly, as shown in FIG. 3.

A front upwardly extending bar 250 of each of the side frames 175 mayinclude two pin members 255 that extend outwardly toward the frontportion 165 of the base 150. As shown and illustrated in FIG. 3, the pinmembers 255 may act as stops that prevent over-outward rotation of thewheel locks 170. By preventing the wheel locks 170 from beingover-outwardly rotated, the wheel locks 170 do not project outwardlyfrom the attachment 1 and present a tripping hazard. Moreover, the pinmembers 255 may prevent the wheel locks 170 from over rotating to thepoint of making them difficult to grasp for a person in a wheelchairwhen he or she is locking or unlocking the locks 170. It should furtherbe noted that in the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the belts 110, 230are preferably unbuckled so as to be out of the way for a person in awheelchair entering or exiting the attachment 1 for subsequent use ofthe equipment 5.

Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 where the equipment5 is ready for use by a person in a wheelchair, cables 190 at the middlecable height 25 and handles 260 associated with the cables 190 areretained within the fork members 185 of the lower attachment member 15.While the fork members 185 are shown and illustrated as two-pronged, inalternative embodiments, the fork members 185 may take on a number ofsizes and shapes so long as they are able to retain the handles 260 andcertain portions of the cable 190 when the cables 190 and the handles260 are pulled outwardly in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

It should also be noted that in FIG. 3, the cables 190 and handles 260associated therewith are secured and retained within the fork members185. However, in alternative embodiments, cables 40, 35 associated withthe upper cable height 30 or the lower cable height 20, respectively,may be retained within the fork members 185 and subsequently used forexercise. By retaining the cable 190 (or 40 or 35) within the forkmembers 185, the handles 260 (or handles associated with the cable 40 orthe cable 35) are closer to the front portion 165 of the base and thusmore accessible to a person in a wheelchair. This prevents a person inthe wheelchair from having to reach back to the original retractedlocation of the cables, which can be difficult to reach or even causeinjury for a person in a wheelchair that overextends his or hershoulder, elbow, back, or other otherwise injures himself or herself.

FIG. 4 illustrates a person 265 in a wheelchair 270 that is in aposition to use the equipment 5 as a result of the attachment 1 beingconnected to the equipment 5 in the manner described above. In FIG. 4,the wheel locks 170 are downwardly and inwardly rotated so that theyprevent front wheels 275 of the wheelchair 270 from rolling rearwardly.Similarly, the belts 110, 230 are fastened in one of the mannersdescribed above and snuggly fit around an upper body 280 and a lowerbody 285, respectively, of the user 265.

Furthermore, in FIG. 4, as in FIG. 3, the cables 190 are pulledoutwardly, and the handles 185 are retaining the handles 260 of thecable 190. In this position, it may be relatively effortless for theuser 265 to reach rearwardly and grasp the handles 260. He may then, inthe illustrated embodiment, use the handles 260 to push outwardly,upwardly, or otherwise to activate the cable 190 which is preferably influid communication with a weight stack 290 of the equipment 5 in aknown or foreseeable manner. The action of lifting the weight stack 290via the cables 190 (or cables 40 or 35) preferably provides weightresistance to the muscles that the user 265 is attempting to exercise.When the user 265 is done completing the exercise, he or she may returnthe handles 260 so that they are retained in the fork members 185 for anext wheelchair user, or to their original position for use by a personnot in a wheelchair.

When the user 265 is finished using the equipment 5 and has completedhis or her exercise, he or she may wheel away from the attachment 1 bysimply unbuckling and releasing the belts 110, 230, and rotating thewheel locks 170 upwardly so that the path to wheeling out of theattachment 1 is substantially clear.

As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of thepresent invention are not limited by the particular details of theexamples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that othermodifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur tothose skilled in the art. Many changes, modifications, variations andother uses and applications of the present construction will, however,become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering thespecification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes,modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do notdepart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to becovered by the invention which is limited only by the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is:
 1. An attachment for converting existing exerciseequipment into exercise equipment compatible for a person in awheelchair, the attachment comprising: an upper frame member forselective engagement with an upper portion of the existing exerciseequipment, the upper frame member including a back pad used to stabilizean upper body of a person in a wheel chair; a lower frame member forselective engagement with a lower portion of the existing exerciseequipment, the lower frame member including wheel locks located near abottom portion of the lower frame member; and wherein the wheel locksare used to stabilize wheels of a wheelchair when the wheelchair ispositioned within the lower frame member.
 2. The attachment of claim 1,wherein the back pad of the upper frame member is rotatably attached tothe upper portion of the existing exercise equipment.
 3. The attachmentof claim 1, wherein the lower frame member includes at least one forkmember extending upwardly therefrom for receiving and retaining at leasta portion of a cable associated with the existing exercise equipment. 4.The attachment of claim 1, wherein the wheel locks are rotatable levers.5. The attachment of claim 3, wherein the lower frame member includes aU-shaped base and at least one side frame extending upwardly from a sideportion of the base.
 6. The attachment of claim 5, wherein the at leastone fork member is located on a rear portion of the at least one sideframe.
 7. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the lower frame memberincludes at least one pin member extending therefrom that preventsover-rotation of the wheel locks when the wheel locks are in an unlockedposition.
 8. The attachment of claim 5, wherein the base includes a lapbelt for securing a lower body of a person in a wheelchair using theexisting exercise equipment.
 9. The attachment of claim 1, wherein theupper frame member includes a chest belt for securing an upper body of aperson in a wheelchair using the existing exercise equipment.
 10. Theattachment of claim 1, wherein attachment points of the upper framemember and the lower frame member align with attachment points ofhandles and a seat attachment, respectively, of the existing exerciseequipment.
 11. An attachment for converting existing exercise equipmentinto exercise equipment compatible for a person in a wheelchair, theattachment comprising: a lower frame member for selective engagementwith a lower portion of the existing exercise equipment, the lower framemember including at least one fork member positioned on the lower framemember such that it may receive and retain at least one cable of theexisting exercise equipment to make the cable more accessible to aperson in a wheelchair using the existing equipment.
 12. The attachmentof claim 11, wherein the attachment includes an upper frame member forselective engagement with an upper portion of the existing exerciseequipment, the upper frame member including a back pad used to stabilizean upper body of a person in a wheel chair.
 13. The attachment of claim11, wherein the lower frame member includes wheel locks located near abottom portion of the lower frame member.
 14. The attachment of claim13, wherein the wheel locks are rotatable levers.
 15. The attachment ofclaim 11, wherein the lower frame member includes a U-shaped base and atleast one side frame extending upwardly from a side portion of the base.16. The attachment of claim 15, wherein the at least one fork member islocated on a rear portion of the at least one side frame.
 17. Theattachment of claim 13, wherein the lower frame member includes at leastone pin member extending therefrom that prevents over-rotation of thewheel locks when the wheel locks are in an unlocked position
 18. Theattachment of claim 15, wherein the base includes a lap belt forsecuring a lower body of a person in a wheelchair using the existingexercise equipment.
 19. The attachment of claim 12, wherein the upperframe member includes a chest belt for securing an upper body of aperson in a wheelchair using the existing exercise equipment.
 20. Theattachment of claim 11, wherein attachment points of the lower framemember align with attachment points of a seat attachment of the existingexercise equipment.